DirecTV Now for Apple TV gets parental controls

An update to the DirecTV Now app for Apple TV now lets parents restrict content their children can watch based on industry standard guidelines and gives them the ability to set controls separately for each device.

Minus the typical “performance improvements and bug fixes,” the stronger parental controls let adults set devices independently based on what and where the children are watching. For example, parents can place higher settings on their children’s tablets while leaving their own phones untouched. It’s less likely, after all, that the younger family members will have access to a parent’s iPhone for movie and TV viewing, whereas they would on an Apple TV.

To set up the restrictions, parents will first need to create a PIN to prevent unwanted changes. This is done by navigating to Settings > Preferences > Parental Controls in the DirecTV Now app. The default setting is off, and it cannot be turned on until after the PIN has been assigned.

After that, users will see three separate settings: movies, TV shows, and unrated programs. Simply select the content you don’t want to make available without first entering the PIN, and all ratings behind it will also be restricted. For example, restricting R rated movies will also block NC-17 and X rated movies. (Does DirecTV Now have a channel that shows X rated movies?)

It’s a pretty simple setup, and the ability to set the restriction levels individually be device is a pretty good feature. Now, if they could just figure out a way to let users set their own favorites by device, we’ll be getting somewhere.

About the Author

Kirk Hiner has been writing for the Apple web since 1997, having served as editor of Applelinks and the Technology Tell Apple Channel. In addition to his work with BEST Apple TV, Kirk currently contributes to Mac Gamer HQ and Pure Nintendo. He lives with his wife and three children in small-town Ohio where the land is cheap and the air is (relatively) clean.